I caught a fish on a pink worm once, but I think it was a fluke.

No, really...it was a fluke...you know, like a flounder.

Fish on...

Todd

you're always a huge help Todd

what's the cheapest place to buy a bunch of pink worms? i always seem to have a hard time finding them, and when i do they're always "steelhead" worms that go for $1 apiece or more.

i suspect it's the same as buying "marine" engine parts...same stuff as what's in your truck, but 4 times as much!

I like the worm in glacial rivers that get that slate, or "steelhead green" water. Drift fishing is most effective for me down here in the willamette valley. I rig em kinda like a mooched herring, or with a single #4 threaded to the tail. Some dumbass down here calls plastics, a bait, so ill tie up a couple pink worm "flies" and let you check those out. Deschutes steelhead love em... the fur, not the worm...

OK...I'll try a little harder...

For winter runs especially, I use them pretty much the entire time I don't have a spoon on...about half the time, depending on where I'm fishing.

I driftfish with them, or drag them around in the boat...and while I think they really shine when the water is colored up a bit due to their large profile, I have no problem using them in gin clear water, either, I just size them down a bit.

Here's an article I wrote a few years ago about fishing them:

http://www.salmonandsteelheadjournal.com...ad/Default.aspx

Kyle, send me a PM...

Fish on...

Todd

Ahh the PW.. my nemisis. I like most have tried, in vain to try to hook a steelie on one. I know confidence helps, but dammit Jim.

Last time I fished them I was bound and determined to use the pw and nothing else. So Kaiser, thrasher & I hit the nooksack to chase some steel. I brought 20 pre-tied rigs and fished them, until I lost them all over the course of the day. Being as I was out, I tied on a yarn ball, and what do you know... fish on. Ughhhhhhh.

I know they work... I've seen them work, but DANG IT!!!!

But, Todd hooked me up with some of his "special" worms, so my confidence is renewed.

Thanks for the link Todd!!!

Took a few years of trying the pink worm to no avail.Caught a fish here and there and slowly gained confidence now the pink worm is my friend.
Certain times,certain places, certain fish and the PW rock's.

It' all confidence.
Native steelhead unmollested will eat about anything 90% of the time. If the water has more color fish the 6"ers if clearer, downsize to 4"s.
Worms work, they're a great tool for bait restriction areas too!
One other thing I like is having a different color cheater than the worm body for contrast, but like the first thing I said, its all about what you have confidence in!

Orange and green or green and orange... optimal contrast with minimal vacuum involvement.

"vacuum involvement"

Triple

there was a guy here on the washougal this summer... who was slaying the summers on the pw. the baitshop said it rather odd because the water was low and clear. the guy was buying the largest gaudy worms the store sold. this guy had total confidence in something that should have scared the steelhead out of the drift! he put a wack and stack on them low clear summers.

so yes confidence equates out big in this scenario.

Pink worms are like anything else you fish for steelhead. Some days, it's the cat's meow, other days it's a dog. When the fish are fresh and the water's steelhead green, it don't matter much what you throw as long as fish are in the run. When the conditions are less than optimal is when it matters. Personally, I like pink worms in cold or dirty water, when you need a bigger profile to get the fishes' attention. I thread the hook 2/3 of the way through the worm and fish them under a float with a few shot. It works very well at times.

What Opie said! I just think if you come into a pool that you are certain has several wild steelhead, (unmolested that day) start out suttle like a small corkie and yarn. After you have caught the shy ones, switch over to the big pinky. I always put a spin n' glow in front of it when the water has some color and weed out the crazy shizo fishies. This way you not only maximize your numbers but hook the biggies as well.

On the other hand if your at the mercy of the drift boat operator and forced to side drift, just go ahead and stick with the 6" pinky especially mid January through April!

Confidence will catch you steelhead no matter what you are using,that and the ability to read water. My advice to you is if you want to learn a new technique take tackle suited only to that technique so you can't go back to your "go to" tactics.

Getting out of your comfort zone and trying to expand your arsenal will only make you a better fisherman. For example my least favorite technique for steelhead is float and jig fishing,but I forced myself to learn that because there are certain situations where it shines,same with spoons,and my favorite,drift fishing.

I prefer to drift fish pink worms. I kind of fish them on a swing,like you would a spoon,but again water type will dictate how to fish them. Dude the take is the best! Give them another shot.

Haha that's funny right there! The only thing worse is when I'm forced to pull plugs

when has that ever sucked for you?
okay maybe having to watch greg get that big one, but you hooked a couple right after....

I'm always surprised when anyone lacks confidence in the PW.



This about sums it up for me. About half of my PW fish come when I'm just leaning against the knee brace bs'ing as my gear is dredging right off the back of the boat. BB, "Damn snaged again." Rower, "No your not!" BB, "Hehe.....Yep that's a fish!"

Then the rower will place you perfectly off that log jam forcing me to actualy make a decent cast. Make enough decent casts and you just might get a biggun!

If there are natives in the river I have two rods rigged with PW's and one with a spoon. Pretty much covers all water and conditions!

Just realize that even if you make a bunch of excellent casts the dead soldiars are still going to fill up the front of the drifter (see Todd's sig line)!

Just like Ryley I always had confidence in them after I was first showed how to rig them in the early 90's. Pretty sure my first cast with one landed me a fish after the action had slowed on everything else. Then continued to fish them & have had lots of success, I guess lucky. Just like everything else just depends on what they are looking for that day butg make sure you keep them in your arsenal.

Except in Oregon.

Some how these dumbsh-ts need to wake up. There is actually people down here that think plastic worms need to be kept out of the no bait areas. But yet, they will still use scents in bait restricted areas. I guess thats how you catch those Oregon 20s.

Once you gain confidence in the PW, you will catch fish. Keep trying and when it happens, you will grow to love the PW.

The last weekend that the Hoh was open in the spring there were I believe nine dudes in camp. Every single guy had a pink worm as the go to lure that day except one. That guy got 6 or 7 fish that day. The rest of us got 1-2.
That said...for sidedrifting I'd prefer the worm.